Will I be too hot with a Wood Stove Insert in this room?

[stejus]

I'm on the fence with either a pellet insert or a wood insert to replace my heat loss fireplace. My biggest concern is being too hot in the area where we spend most of our time with a wood stove insert. I know with a pellet insert you can basically turn it off it you get too hot. My other goal is to reduce my oil usage because I'm looking at a $2000- $2500 oil bill from Nov-March this year.

I'm leaning towards a wood stove insert for a couple of reasons. One, I have no problem getting cord wood because I live in an area were there's plenty of wood (boarder a state forest). My last purchase of green cord wood was $135 delivered. I also enjoy the natural flame over the burner effect flame of a pellet stove.

My concerns/questions around a wood stove insert.

1. Can I control the amount of heat in the Family room/Kitchen to average 70 degrees on a slow burn? I really don't care about the DR/LR temp, but I don't want to be at 80 degrees in the FR either.

2. About how often and how much wood would I have to load to keep it at 70 degrees. I burn in a Fireplace and it seams I'm loading logs every hour when I burn wood.

3. Is my TV (50" DLP) too close to the Fireplace? It's about 17" from the edge of the Screen to the opening of the Fireplace box.

4. On warmer days when you don't need that many heating BTU's, how do you control the amount of heat? Do you feed it less wood and would this require more frequent loading?

5. How may BTU's do you think I would need to effectively heat just the downstairs. I will get a lot of heat rising upstairs because of the center hall stairway.

Thanks for all your experience help!

 

[JPapiPE]

I can answer one question right off sraight.... Your TV is too darn close period....It should be a minimum of 36" if you value it. Secondly, there is a difference between 70 degree heat with 80% humidity and 80 degree heat with 10 % humidity. They feel about the same on your skin. Plus if it gets too hot you can always crack a window or turn down the damper. Sounds like you may be able to get some free wood.... Furnace oil may be $5/gallon, before the season is up. The choice is clear my friend; go with the wood plan as long as wood is cheap or free and when it may run out make a decision at that time. you can always sell your stove as they are high demand now.

I think you already knew this answer...you just wanted some reinforcement ...so now you got it...

 

[begreen]

Thanks for the floorplan, it makes it so much easier to see what might work. I think you'll be fine with an insert and don't think it will overheat the room. You do have control both over the size of the fire (by the amount of wood used on the fire) and by the air control on the stove. With a fan placed on the floor in the LR pointed towards the stove I think you will get a nice circulation pattern developing that will keep the first floor relatively evenly heated. If this is a big fireplace you might also be able to put a freestanding stove in there.

If you have to use an insert, the trick may be finding one. They are getting harder to locate. Get one with at least 2 cu ft firebox size, A 2.5 or even 3 cu ft would work. The other issue is going to be wood. Modern EPA stoves do not like green wood. In your climate zone you would need several cords of seasoned wood to leave the furnace off most of the time.

A lot of inserts convect directly in front, but not as much to the side. Depending on the stove, the TV may be OK.

 

[RedRanger]

My eyes are too feeble to see the dimensions of the room for the insert? Can only say that our room with the wood insert is 15x26 with 7.6ft ceiling. and it does get cooking in that room 80-86 in about 5 hours. Personally, I like it around 78-80,and we open a window when it gets too warm.

Sometimes, I will simply let the fire go out then restart a couple of hours later, when the room has cooled to about 70+. I say, go for it, nothing like "real wood heat". And it is controllable in more ways than one. Nothing to lose, and much to gain.

 

[stejus]

Thanks for the floorplan, it makes it so much easier to see what might work. I think you'll be fine with an insert and don't think it will overheat the room. You do have control both over the size of the fire (by the amount of wood used on the fire) and by the air control on the stove. With a fan placed on the floor in the LR pointed towards the stove I think you will get a nice circulation pattern developing that will keep the first floor relatively evenly heated. If this is a big fireplace you might also be able to put a freestanding stove in there.

If you have to use an insert, the trick may be finding one. They are getting harder to locate. Get one with at least 2 cu ft firebox size, A 2.5 or even 3 cu ft would work. The other issue is going to be wood. Modern EPA stoves do not like green wood. In your climate zone you would need several cords of seasoned wood to leave the furnace off most of the time.

A lot of inserts convect directly in front, but not as much to the side. Depending on the stove, the TV may be OK.

Hey BeGreen, thanks for your input.

The inserts that I am interested in would be a flush fit to the hearth. Chances are I will not find one this season but I am trying to make a decision now so I can get it done next spring/summer/fall. Lopi and Jotul both have flush fits so to your point, most of the heat would be forced out in front of the stove as there are no sides. I really don't have any where else to put the DLP so I hope the DLP will be ok there.

I just want some heat in the Family room and Kitchen when I use the stove like evenings and all weekend when we are home. I am not trying to heat my entire house 24x7.

Currenly I buy green wood in March and let it season because it's about $50 less per cord. I have plenty of land to stack wood so if I get the stove, I can always buy 2 or 3 cords in Jan and have some time to season it for 10 to 12 months. Most of the time I have about a 1/2 cord left over from previous season so i burn that first. I wouldn't burn green wood for obvious reasons.

 

[begreen]

Sounds like a good plan. Once the heating season is in full swing maybe post a specific request for insert owners to check their insert's radiant heat at say 30 degrees off axis. I know for the T6 this would be a non-issue, but it would be good to get a sampling of various insert owners with their stoves going full tilt. Some how I don't think many radiate a lot of heat to the sides at that angle. But it would be good to get this info from users when they are burning all out.

As far as the overall heating though, I think you would be fine. Ideally a fan blowing towards the stove from the LR would draw air through the kitchen and into the LR. If so, that would lead to pretty even heating.

 

[stejus]

Well, I think i just ruled out being too hot in this Family Room because I can't fit a large insert. The fireplace box is not a big one I guess. The H(25"), W(32.5"), D(21.25") and Back Wall W(20") will fit the Jotul C 350 or the VC Winter Warm. I'm sure there a more but this limits the BTU output seeing I can only fit so many logs in the stove. I guess this will not be a problem because I'm only trying to heat the FR and Kitchen while we're in it. I don't mind using oil heat upstairs for the breif 2 hours (M-F) in the AM to get out of bed and take showers. Most of our oil heat usage is downstairs and if I can knock this off with wood heat, I'll save money without a doubt.

This brings up another question. When they rate it for 7 hours burn time, does that mean the coals are still there around the 8th hour to load more without re-lighting?

 

[begreen]

That's not that bad. It will fit the Jotul C450. That stove has an adjustable sleeve and looks like it would be a straight fit. I would not get a WinterWarm, it hasn't had the best track record. Maybe also look at the Hampton 300i or the Regency equivalent?

I don't have the specs right now and Travis's site is down, but you might also be able to just fit a Lopi Declaration (Avalon Perfect Fit) if you want a totally flush insert installation.

 

[rich81]

TOO HOTTTT!! no such thing. you know theres always shorts, no shoes shirt no problems and a cold beverage of choice. put it in and crank it up.

 

[stejus]

Thanks everyone for your input. I've done some measurements and confirmed these stoves will fit flush against the hearth.

Jotul C 350
Jotul C 450 will fit, but will stick out
PE Vista Insert
Hampton HI200
VC Winterwarm (not likely due to the bad press)

Unfortunatly, the Lopi Declerationa and Hampton HI300 will not fit because of the backend width requirement.

I really don't want to it to stick out because my hearth extension from fireplace opening toward the room is 16.5". I think code says you need 16" between glass and hearth extension. I really don't want to add a hearth extension so I plan to be flush.

I'll be looking for these hi and low over the next few weeks but will not set my heart on it. If not, I'll just burn my fireplace on weekends and turn the heat down and sit by the fire until I can get one of these inserts. I'll be looking for feedback from owners of these stoves over the winter.

First day for football so we're getting closer to lighting up!

Cheers.

 

[begreen]

If the goal is a more efficient nighttime or weekend burn these stoves will work. If the goal is a significant reduction in oil usage, you'll need at least a 2 cu ft insert. FWIW we don't get many folks reporting they bought the wrong stove with one exception, it was too small... yours truly included. A hearth extension is a little work, but not a big deal. If it helps, there are prefab hearth extensions available also.

 

[North of 60]

No one has mentioned a CAT stove. If the concern is controllable low heat and long burn time then a Catalytic stove/insert is the way to go. Size em up. There's a few inserts out there with CATs in them.

 

[fredarm]

I'm having a Vista insert installed tomorrow. I'll keep you posted on how it works. I had the small fireplace problem and didn't really have room for a hearth extension. Everybody here with a Vista seems to like it, the only negative comment is burn time--it won't hold a fire overnight. Since I'm looking to supplement the oil heat, not replace it, this wasn't an issue for me.

Fred